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GMO Apples (Unmarked) on the Way to U.S. Grocery Stores

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U.S. Consumer Alert: GMO apples are on their way. They will hit U.S. grocery stores in February 2017. And unless you scan them with a smartphone, you will not know what you are buying, because thanks to a law signed last year by the Obama administration, these puppies are Unmarked.

GMO Apples Fun Facts

-The first genetically modified apples to be sold in the U.S. will be appearing in select Midwestern stores in February, according to Capital Press. About 500 40-pound boxes of sliced apples from Okanagan Specialty Fruits of Summerland, B.C. will be sold in grab-and-go pouch bags in stores to be determined. -FoodDive

-These apples will not contain physical labels identifying them as “genetically modified” and will only be labeled as GMO through a scanned QR code label… -FoodDive

This scan-only, undecipherable by the human eye, GMO label will soon find its way on to many, if not most, GMO foods in the U.S. Despite a Jan 2017 Pew Research report indicting that 11% of U.S adult consumers aged 30-49, 23% of consumers aged 50-64, and another 38% aged 65 and over, do not own a smartphone, the new federal GMO labeling law approved by the Obama administration found this an acceptable label. “Opponents of QR codes say that they discriminate against consumers who don’t have access to smartphones, and they hide important information.” And that does not even take into consideration busy consumers who will not take the time to scan every item and visit websites and read the information before tossing items into their carts.

What will consumers think when they find out about the unmarked GMO apples?

“There could be a huge backlash from consumers who aren’t told upfront that the apples are GMO, as there is a popular opinion that they aren’t as healthy. A Pew Research survey conducted last year found that 37% of adults feel eating GM foods is generally safe, while 57% say they believe it is unsafe.

Those numbers were large enough for the Washington apple industry to fight against approval of GMO apples because of the negative public perception that exists, fearing it could hurt overall apple sales.” –FoodDive